Faunal Diversity of Simbalbara Wildlife Sanctuary (H. P.)

2009·3.3 MB·English

Conservation Area eries, 41
Conservation Area Series" 41
Faunal Diversity of
SIMBALBARA WILDLIFE SANCTURY
Himachal Pradesh
Edited by the Director, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata
Zoological Survey of India
Kolkata
CITATION
Editor-Director. 2008. Faunal Diversity of Simbalbara Wildlife Sanctury, Conservation
Area Series, 41 : 1-118. (Published by the Director, Zool. Surv. India, Kolkata).
Published : September, 2009
ISBN 978-81-8171-230-1
Co-ordinator
Dr. U.S. Mehta
Zoological Survey of India, High Altitude Regional Centre, Solan-173211
© Govt. of India, 2009
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
•
No part of this publication may be reproduced stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic. mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise
without the prior permission of the publisher.
•
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade, be lent. resold,
hired out or otherwise disposed of without the publishers consent, in an form of binding or
cover other than that in which, it is published.
•
The correct price of this publication is the price printed on this page. Any revised price
indicated by a rubber stamp or by a sticker or by any other means is incorrect and should be
unacceptable.
PRICE
Indian Rs. 200.00
Foreign: $ 15; £ 10
Published at the Publication Division by the Director, Zoological Survey of India, 234/4~
AJe Bose Road, 2nd MSO Building, 13th floor,' Nizam Palace, Kolkata 700020 and
printed at Mis Shiva Offset Press, Dehra Dun-248 001.
Faunal Diversity of
Simbalbara Wildlife Sanctuary (Himachal Pradeslz),
Conservation Area Series,
41 2009 1-118
CONTENTS
AN OVERVIEW .................................................................................................. 1-12
H.S. Mehta, Avtar Kaur Sidhu and Indu Sharma
2. ANNELIDA: OLIGOCHAETA : ...................................................................... 13-19
Rahul Paliwal
3. INSECTA: ODONATA ..................................................................................... 21-28
R. Babu and H.S. Mehta
4. INSECTA: ORTHOPTERA .............................................................................. 29-40
. Kamal Saini and H.S. Mehta
5. INSECTA: LEPIDOPTERA: RHOPALOCERA ............................................. 41-47
Avtar Kaur Sidhu and H.S. Mehta
6. PISCES: Freshwater Fishes ........................................................................... 49-57
Indu Sharma and H.S. Mehta
7. AMPHIBIA ......................................................................................................... 59-64
H.S. Mehta and Indu Sharma
8. REPTILIA .......................................................................................................... 65-79
Uttam Saikia and O.K. Sharma
9. AVES ................................................................................................................ 8 1-10 I
O.K. Sharma, R. Paliwal. and UUam Saikia
10. MAMMALIA .................................................................................................. 103-118
O.K. Sharma and UUam Saikia
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The coordinators are grateful to the Director Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata for
providing th:s opportunity to bring out the document on the "Faunal Diversity of
Simbalbara Wildlife Sanctuary, Dist Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh. The authors are
thankful to Shri C. Radhakrishnan, Additional Director, Western Ghat Regional Centre,
Zoological Survey of India Calicut for critically going through the manuscript and
suggesting important improvements.
The coordinators are thankful to the Department of Forests, Himachal Pradesh for
providing necessary facilities. Our .thanks are to the field staff of High Altitude Regional
Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Solan for their hole heartedly devotion for surveying
and collection of scientific materials It is our pleasant duty to thank the Publication
Production Officer, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata for taking efforts for
publication of the document.
Dr. U.S. Mehta
Dr. A.K. Sidhu
Dr. Indu Sharma
Zoo/. Surv. / ndia
Fauna of Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary, Conservation Area Series, 42, 2009 : 1-12.
FAUNA OF SIMBALBARA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY -AN OVERVIEW
H.S. MEHTA, A VTAR KAUR SIDHU AND INDU SHARMA
Zoological survey of India, High Altitude Regional Centre, Solan 173 212
INTRODUCTION
The state of Himachal Pradesh is a part of Western Himalayas with varied
physiography of foothills to the high mountain peaks and Trans Himalayan ranges and
is endowed with a vast variety of flora and fauna. From times immemorial, this tract is
known for its wilderness, landscapes, beautiful forests and wildlife. In Himachal
Pradesh, out of the total geographical area of 55,670 sq klns, the forest area as per
legal classification is 37,691 sq kms. At present there are 32 Sanctuaries, 2 National
Parks. The Simbalbarar Wildlife sanctuary falls under foothills or Shiwalik hilJs with
natural thick forests, grasslands, agriculture fields and natural streams.
Simbalbara Wildlife Sanctuary located in East-west Part of Himachal Pradesh, is one
of the best-preserved sanctuaries in Shiwalik hills of the State. It lies between 300 24'
to 300 28' N latitude and between 770 28' to 770 32' E longitude in Sirmour district of
Himachal Pradesh. It is situated on right side of Nahan Ponta Sahib Road, about 6km
far from Puruwala. Ponta Sahib is about 18km from Sanctuary. The Government of
Himachal Pradesh notified the Sanctuary on 27th March 1974. The sanctuary is with
thick sal forests which provide food and shelter to animals like Elephants, Goral,
Sambhar, Chittal, Spotted dear, barking deer, Neelgai, Leopard, wild boar, Pea fowl, Red
jungle fowl and Patridges and many more animals located in Paonta Valley. It is a small
sanctuary spread over an area of 19.03sq.Km with altitude ranging from 580 to 700 m.
above msl. The sanctuary is triangular in shape and its southeast border is adjoined with
Kalesar National Park in state of Haryana. The sanctuary has subtropical climate
t~e
with hot summer and severe winters. The summer temperatures touch as high as 46°C
and pJunges to 6°C during winters. Rain fa)) is heavy during monsoon months of July
September.
The sanctuary has been divided into five beats for effective administration and
conservation of its biodiversity. The beats are Marusidh Reserve Forest, Danda
Sukhchainpur Reserve Forest, Karve Ka KhaJa Reserve Forest, Gharuk Reserve Forest
and Kaludeo Reserve Forest.
2 Faunal Diversity ojSimbalbara Wildlife Sanctuary, Conservation Area Series. 41
The two perennial strealTIS, Karve ka Khala and Asarori Khala (locally Khala Ineans
stream) traverses the Sanctuary. These streams unite at Simbalbara and forms
Nimbubala Khala that drains into river Yalnuna in the State of Haryana. Small annual
streams of the drainage system of the sanctuary are Merobala Nala, Marusidh Nala,
Haddi Nala, Barubala Nala, Jalnunawala Nala. The main khalas are wide-open, full of
gravel and sand at several places. Most of the span of these khalas is dry. However,
water seeps out at several places in the form of the small streams. Generally these slnall
rivulets remain dry except during rains. are several pool formations also in the
Ther~
main streanlS. The Inain streams provide sufficient water for the survival of wildlife.
Three ponds have also been developed for storing rainwater for wildlife.
VEGETATION
The forest cover of the sanctuary is lush green with thick undergrowth of herbs,
shrubs and grasses. The Inoist deciduous forest occurs in the sanctuary. The main tree
species of the forest are Shorea robusta (Sal), Lagersrtoemia parviflora, Terminalia
bel/erica. Anogeissus latifolia, Terminalia tomentosa. Adina cordifolia, Cassia fistula,
Ougeinia oojeinernsis, Emblica officinalis (Amla), Bauhinia variegata (Kachnar),
MaUot/us philippinensis, Aegle marmelos (Bel), Bufea monosperma (Dhak), Acacia spp.,
Eucalyptus spp, etc. Shrub component of the sanctuary is chiefly thorny. Lantana spp, is
growing in large patches on different slopes and parts of the hills. Carrisa sp., Murrayya
sp., Adhatoda vasica and Zizyphus sp. are also growing in the sanctuary. Other vegetation
in the sanctuary is of Solanum nigrum (Makoi), Bamboosa arundinacea (Bamboo),
Ageratun1 conyzoides, Ficus spp., Polygonum sp., Equisetum sp.
TOTAL SURVEY CONDUCTED BY HAZFS SOLAN
S. Surveys Period Faunal groups studied Observation on Mammals
No. and Birds and Reptilia
1. June, 2005 7 days Oligochaeta, Mollusca, Reptiles (6), Aves (69)
Crusatacea, Arachnida, and Mammals (9)
Myripoda, Orthoptera,
Lepidoptera, Coleptera,
Odonata, Dermaptera,
Hymenoptera Pisces
and Amphibia
2. Sept., 2005 7 days 01 igochaeta, Crustacea, Reptiles, Aves and Mammals
Arachnida, Scorpionida,
Myripoda, Neuroptera,
Dictyptera, Qrthoptera,
Lepidoptera, Coleptera~
MEHTA: An Overview 3
S. Surveys Period Faunal groups studied Observation on Mammals
No. and Birds and Reptilia
Odonata, Dermaptera,
Hymenoptera Pisces and
Amphibia
3. Dec .. , 2005 7 days Oligochaeta, Arachnida, Reptiles, Aves (72) and
Myripoda, Neuroptera, Mammals (8)
Diptera, Orthoptera,
Lepidoptera, Coleoptera,
Odonata,
Dermap~era,
HYlnenoptera Pisces and
Amphibia
4. March- 8 days Oligochaeta, Arachnida, Reptiles, Aves (73) and
April, 2006 Myripoda, Neuroptera, Mammals (8)
Diptera, Orthoptera,
Lepidoptera, Coleoptera,
Odonata, Dermaptera,
Hymenoptera, Pisces and
Amphibia
5. June, 2006 7 days Oligochaeta, Arachnida, Reptiles, Aves (73) and
Myripoda, Neuroptera, Mammals (8)
Diptera, Orthoptera,
Lepidoptera, Coleoptera,
Odonata, Dermaptera,
Hymenoptera, Pisces and
Amphibia
6. Sep., 2006 5 Days Diptera, Orthoptera,
Lepidoptera, Coleoptera,
Odonata, Dermaptera,
Hymenoptera, Pisces and
Amphibia
7. Dec., 2006 8 days Oligochaeta, Arachnida,
Myripoda, Neuroptera,
Diptera, Orthoptera,
Lepidoptera, Coleoptera,
Odonata, Dermaptera,
Hymenoptera Pisces and
Amphibia
8. March, 2008 3 days Lepidoptera, Hymneoptera
4 Faunal Diversity of Simbalbara Wildlife Sanctuary, Conservation Area Series, 41
FAUNAL EXPLORATIONS
S. No. Faunal Group No. of Genera No. of Species
1 Oligochaeta 08 11
2 Odonata 12 18
3 Orthoptera 33 38
4 Lepidoptera 33 69
5 Pisces 10 14
6 Amphibia 7 8
7 Reptilia 16 17
8 Aves 13 1 210
9 Mammals 19 21
REFERENCES
Alfred, J.R.B., Das, A.K. and Sanyal, A.K. (2002) Ecosystem of India: ENVIS Centre
Zool. Surv. India, Kolkata : 1-410.
Anon. 1995. Fauna of Western Himalaya (U.P.), Himalayall Ecosystem Series, Part 1
(Zool. Surv. India, Kolkata) : 1-228
Anon. 2005. Fauna of Western Himalya (H.P.), Himalayan Ecosystem Series, Part-2
(Zool. Surv. india, Kolkata) : 1-359+ 16
MEHTA: An Overview 5